Rotatable lump remover



Dec. 5, 1961 G. B. STONE 3,011,267

ROTATABLE LUMP REIMOVER Filed May 9, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.

Guthrie 8. Stone 1 N VEN TOR.

Dec. 5, 1961 G. B. STONE 3,011,267

ROTATABLE LUMP REMOVER F iled May 9, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Guthrie B. Stone INVENTOR.

M V M BY wz/ zs 3,011,267 ROTATABLE LUMP REMOVER Guthrie B. Stone, Stone Conveyor Co., Inc., Honeoye, N.Y. Filed May 9, 1960, Ser. No. 27,594 8 Claims. (Cl. 34-112) The present invention generally relates to a lump removing apparatus for use in combination with a drum drier employed in a potato flake process and represents an improvement on copending application Serial No. 836,726, filed August 28, 1959, for Device for Removing Lumps From Drum Coatings.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a lump remover incorporating a rotatable assembly including a plurality of tensioned wires disposai in circumferentially spaced relation between a pair of end disks which are rotatably supported and driven, the wires passing adjacent to but spaced from the surface of the drum drier for removing the lumps from the sheet of material being'dried on the drier without contacting the sheet of material.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a rotatable lump remover in accordance with the preceding object and having means for adjusting the relationship between the lump remover and the drum drier thereby enabling the lump remover to remove substantially all 'of the lumps which project above the surface of the sheet of material being dried on the drier thereby providing a highly etficient lump remover.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a lump remover in accordance with the preceding objects together with means supporting the wires intermediate their ends for retaining the wires in parallel relation to the drum surface throughout their length.

Still another important feature of the present invention is to provide a lump remover which is simple in construction, easy to install, eifective in operation, adjustable, dependable and long lasting and generally inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a drum drier with the Y lurnp remover of the present invention incorporated there- 1n;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the construction of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevationofthe construction of FIGURESlandZ; i

FIGURE 4 is a transverse, vertical-sectional view taken substantially through the center of the drurn drier and lump v FIGURE -5 is -a-detailed-sectional-view takensubSta n tially upon a plane passing along section line 5-5 of FIGURE 1 illustrating the adjustable mounting of the bearing blocks for the lump remover; and

FIGURE 6 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 6--6 of FIGURE 4 illustrating the details of mounting of the lump remover wires and the means for adjusting the tension thereon.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the drum drier of the present invention while the numeral 12 generally designates the lump remover of the present invention. The drum drier actually forms no part of the invention in that it is employed in a conventional manner in a potato flake t States Patent are a plurality of rollers 16 all operating to spread and smooth the mash 18 into substantially a sheet of material designated by the numeral 20 which will be dried as the drum rotates slowly and then removed by a doctor blade 22. The drum 14 is supported by end supports 24 carrying bearing blocks 26 for a longitudinal shaft 28 which supports the drum 14. The support members 24 are interconnected by a beam 30 or the like and suitable means is provided for rotating the drum 14 at a relatively slow rate of speed.

The present invention deals specifically with the lump remover generally designated by the numeral 12 which includes an elongated tubular pipe 32 journaled in bearing blocks 34 by virtue of longitudinally extending rods or stub shafts 36 projecting longitudinally outwardly from end disks 38 which are rigidly afiiXed to the ends of the tubular member 32 as by welding or the like.

Each of the end disks38 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial notches 40 in the peripheral surface thereof together with a screw threaded opening 42 disposed radially'inwardly of each of the notches 40. Received in each of the notches 40 is an elongated wire 44 which extends between the end disks 38 and which extend through and are received in aligned notches in the disks 38. Threaded into each threaded hole 42 is a threaded bolt 46 around which the wire 44 is wrapped externally of the disks 38 with the terminal end of the wire 44 being secured to the bolt 46 in any suitable manner such as by an inwardly extending aperture or diametrical bore receiving the end of the wire 44.

The bolt 46 is provide-d with a lock nut 48 to lock the bolt in adjusted position thus enabling the tension on the wire 44 to be adjusted so that the wire 44 may be maintained in parallel relation to the rotational axis of the tubular member 32 and also parallel to the surface of the 'drum 14.

'Each bearing block 34 is provided with a removable cap 50 retained in position by cap screws 52 and the lower end of the bearing block 34 is slidab-ly received in a channel shaped guide 54 mounted on a support mem-- ber 56 that is rigid with the end support 24. The outer end of the guide 54 is provided with an upstanding end portion 5 8 having a threaded aperture 60 extending therethrough. for receiving a threaded bolt 62. The threaded bolt 62 is provided with a lock nut 64 for retaining the bolt 62 in position and the inner end of the bolt 62 is provided with a pair of spaced flanges 66 and 68 which receive therebetween an upstanding lug 70 rigid Withthe bearing .block 34 whereby rotation of the bolt 62- will cause inward and outward movement of the bearing block A 34 in relation tothe guide 54.

Inasmuch as the guide 54 is perpendicular to the rotational axis of the tubular member 32 as well as the drum'14, movement of the bearing blocks 34 will efiect alteration in the spaced relationship of the lump remover in relation to the drum drier.

The outer end of one of the stub shafts 36 is provided with a sprocket gear 72 engaged by a sprocket chain 74 that is powered by an electric motor 76 having a variable speed gear box 78 as a component thereof. In order to maintain the chain 74 tensioned, an idler sprocket Si] is engaged with the outer surface of the lower run thereof with the idler sprocket 80 being carried by a pivotal arm 82 mounted on the support of the motor designated by the numeral 84 by virtue of a bracket 86 and a tensioned coil spring 88 is provided between the support 84 and a 3 the arm 82 to resiliently urge the idler sprocket 80 into engagement with the chain 74 thereby taking up all of the slack in the chain 74 and enabling the lump remover drive sprocket 72 to be moved inwardly and outwardly with the stub shafts 36.

The rotatable lump remover operates more eifectively than the stationary type of lump remover disclosed in the aforementioned copending application especially when used in conjunction with drums having relatively large diameters. The tension Wires 44 are constructed of stainless steel and these Wires would not need any intermediate support with a relatively short drum drier. However, in longer installations, one or more intermediate support rings or disks may be provided on the tubular mem ber 32. The support rings would be in the form of a disk that would have a peripheral rubber edge thereon which would be relatively thin to provide resilience for variations in drum surface or flexing of the main tubular shaft. Further, the speed of rotation of the lump remover would be variable depending upon the operating conditions. The direction of rotation is in the opposite direction to the drum so that as the surfaces of the drum pass by the wires, the wires will be moving in the same direction but at a different speed for removing lumps.

As previously stated, the wires would be constructed of stainless steel and this is also true of the tubular member and the end disks and also the support rings or disks disposed intermediately thus rendering the device nontoxic and easily cleaned and sterilized. Preferably, there are six or more wires 44 and these wires are adjustable in relation to the tension thereof and in relation to the surface of the drum with the clearance between the drum and the wires as they pass closest to the drum being approximately .0O7 inch to .015 inch thus removing only lumps from the sheet and so that the wires Will actually miss the sheets.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes Will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A lump remover for drum driers in a potato flake manufacturing process comprising an elongated rotatable support member disposed in spaced parallel relation to the surface of the drum drier, a plurality of longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced wires mounted on said support member for rotation about an axis parallel to the rotatable axis of the drum drier with the wires movable in a cylindrical path parallel to and adjacent the surface of the drum for removing lumps from the sheet of material being dried on the drum drier, and means rotating said support member and the wires thereon.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein bearing blocks rotatably support the (inter ends of the support member, and means adjustably supporting the bearing blocks for inward and outward movement in relation to the drum thereby varying the spaced relationship between the wires and the drum. 7

3. The structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said support member includes an elongated member having a circular disk rigid with each outer end, each circular disk having a plurality of radially extending notches in the peripheral edge thereof for receiving the wires.

4. The structure as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said disks is provided with adjusting bolts therein disposed radially inwardly of the notches, each bolt having wire Wound thereon with the end of the wire being attached thereto for forming a tensioning device for the wires.

5. The structure as defined in claim 4, wherein said means for rotating the support member and wires moun ed thereon includes a variable speed device for varying the speed of rotation of the lump remover, said support member having a sprocket gear on one end thereof for receiving a drive sprocket chain for positive drive of the support member and wires.

6. In combination with a drum drier having a drum and a plurality of spreading rollers for spreading potato mash over the surface thereof in a smooth manner for drying, a lump remover disposed alongside of the drum in closely spaced relationship thereto and disposed below the last spreading roller for removing lumps from the material being dried on the drum, said lump remover comprising an elongated rotatable support member disposed in spaced parallel relation to the surface of the drum, a plurality of longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced wires mounted on said support member in parallel relation to the drum and support member axes for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum and movable in a circular path adjacent the surface of the drum for removing lumps from the sheet of material being dried on the drum, and means rotating said support member and the wires thereon.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein said support member is provided with bearing blocks, said bearing blocks being adjustably supported and locked in adjusted position for orientating the wires in closely spaced relation to the drum and to the sheet of material being dried thereon thus assuring that the wires will only contact the lumps in the sheet of material and will not contact the sheet of material.

8. A lump remover for drum driers employed in a potato flake manufacturing process comprising a plurality of wires disposed in spaced parallel relation to the surface of the drum drier, said wires extending longitudinallyv alongside. of the drum drier and disposed in a cylindrical pattern, rotatable means supporting said Wires in circumferentially spaced relation, and means drivingly connected to said supporting means for rotating said supporting means and wires about an axis parallel to the drum drier, the wires moving in a path adjacent the surface of the drum drier for removal of lumps in the sheet of material on the drum drier.

Gessl Mar. 19, 1889 Bird May 20, 1919 

